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I can’t believe it took me this long to notice. Well, maybe I did but I just didn’t want it to be happening so quickly. Other people mentioned the change to us. “Wow! Nia is getting so tall!” “She’s really growing!” “Nia had a growth spurt over the summer!” I just kept looking down at you, holding your small hand in mine, kissing you on your forehead – now level with my ribs.

Sure, I kind of noticed when I cleaned out your closet. To me, those 6X’s still fit you but in reality the ankle-length leggings were capris on you. I folded each younger size and hugged a few pieces in memory as I stacked them on your bed. I didn’t want to move them aside but I knew it was necessary to make way for the clothes that really fit you – and are the style you want now.

All the signs were there including how you’re now able to reach the cups in the cabinet without a chair and how you excitedly point out that you’re getting as tall as me. Heck, sometimes you would stand next to a friend who once towered over you and you’d meet them eye-to-eye. Still, it didn’t register to me like the slap in the face it should have. No. It took a moment of accomplishment for you at a corn maze festival to make me really see.

You climbed the netted tower all the way to the top and you made it look easy. Last fall when we went, you couldn’t pull yourself up to the second level. I watched you struggle and sweat and try so hard to make it to that next layer of net. You were so tired when you finally exited through the entrance. Maybe next time. And you sure did! You climbed it like it was nothing.

Top of the Tower

And then, if that feat of size, strength and determination wasn’t enough, you really showed me how big you are now. Never able to flip over on the bungee ropes before, you gave it another go this time. Of course you flipped. And flipped. And flipped.

Not to be out done, Nate wanted to flip too. I could see his stomach muscles working to try to pull his legs over his head. I was tensing mine as well, trying to zone over some strength for him to succeed. Just when we thought his time was up and no flip was in his immediate future, he gave it one more shot.